Support for air-inflated building structure



a. m l QM Q U 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 W. H. MACKEY SUPPORT FOR AIR-INFLATEDBUILDING STRUCTURE Jan. 19, 1960 Filed July 10 1957 INVENTOR ATTOR EYSUPPORT FOR AIR-INFLATED BUILDING STRUCTURE Filed July 10, 1957 I Jan.-19, 1960 w. H. MACKEY 3 She ets-Sheet 2 r I INVENTOR w 56 916aoeg4 dakATTORNQY vJan. 19, 1960 w. H. MACKEY 2,921,592

SUPPORT FOR AIRINFLATED BUILDING STRUCTURE Filed July 10, 1957 :sSheets-Sheet s INVENTOR 4 Z 10 S 30 BY I W ATTOREY United States PatentSUPPORT FOR AIR-INFLATED BUILDING STRUCTURE William H. Mackey,Libertyville, 111., assignor to Cid Air W Company, Chicago, III., acorporation of Application July 10, 1957, Serial No. 670,997 1 Claim.(Cl. 135-1) My invention relates broadly to inflatable buildingstructures and more particularly to an improved construction of andmethod of erecting an inflatable building structure.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an improved inflatablebuilding structure which is capable of erection with a minimum amount oflabor and in minimum time, the building structure including means forfacilitating its erection, such means being built into the structure.

Another object of my invention is to provide a construction ofinflatable building structure which includes substantiallysemi-spherical end sections interconnected by a substantiallysemi-cylindrical intermediate section where said last mentioned sectionis provided with a longitudinally extending cable run attached to theridge of the semi-cylindrical section and through which an erectingcable may be passed for facilitating the raising of the air structureindependently of the pumping of air beneath the air structure during theerecting process.

Still another object of my invention is to provide means for connectinga cable run to the top ridge of the substantially semi-cylindricalportion of an inflatable building structure in accordance with myinvention.

Another object of my invention is to provide a method of erecting aninflatable building structure by which, in cases of necessity, thebuilding structure may be erected by one individual, or at least thenumber of personnel required for erecting the building structureconsiderably reduced over that heretofore required for the erection ofcomparable air structures.

Other and further objects of my invention reside in an arrangement forfacilitating the maintenance of an inflatable air structure in anelevated position in the event of failure of the air pump withsubsequent deflation, as set forth more fully in the specificationshereinafter following by reference to the accompanying drawings inwhich:

Figure 1 illustrates the arrangement of the air structure of myinvention in collapsed or deflated position preparatory to erection inaccordance with the method of my invention;

Fig. 2 illustrates theinflated erect position of the improved buildingstructure of my invention;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the erected air structure of my invention;

Fig. 4 is an end view of the erected air structure of my inventionshowing particularly the cable run at the ridge of the inflated airstructure;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 3 showing thedouble stitched seam which I provide at the ridge of the air structurefor securing the cable run in position and a sectional view of the cablerun with the cable shown in position thereon;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the cable run in positionalong the longitudinal ridge of the air structure;

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view of an inflated building structure ofmy invention but illustrating a modified arrangement of the cablesuspension for the air inflated building;

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the form of my invention shown in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary plan view of the cable attached to the ridge ofthe building structure of Figs. 7 and 8; and

Fig. 10 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 10-l0 of Fig. 9.

My invention is directed to an improved inflatable building structureand method of erecting the same, the structure being of the class setforth in my co-pending application Serial No. 670,996, filed July 10,1957, for Air-Inflated Building Structure. In the erection ofairinilated building structures of the type set forth in my aforesaidapplication the personnel neccesary to make an erection and installationof the building includes the services of at least four laborers forapproximately two hours; the services of an electrician forapproximately M4 hour; and the services of a supervisor engineer. Thereare occasions under conditions of emergency where this complement ofpersonnel may not be available and to provide for installation anderection of the building structure of my invention I have made theimprovements set forth herein which greatly reduces the personnelrequired. In fact the improvements herein under certain conditionspermit the installation and erection of the building by one individual.I accomplish this by providing the substantially semi-cylindricalportion of the building structure with a double stitched seam along thetop longitudinal ridge to which is connected in one form of my invention*a cable run or tunnel made of the same fabric as that which constitutesthe walls of the air structure. This cable run extends along the top ofthe semicylindrical portion of the air structure terminating at thesemi-circular gores in the substantially semi-spherical quadrantal endsections of the building. In another form of my invention the cable isdirectly fastened to the material of the air structure with extensionson either end thereof adapted to be connected with supports adjacentopposite ends of the air structure.

The building in its deflated or collapsed position has its baseperipheral seal arranged around the supporting surface adjacent suitablevertically extending cable supports. Such supports may be verticallyerected poles or some other stationary support to which is attached atthe approximate height of the building structure one end of a cablewhich, in one form of my invention, extends freely through the cable runat the ridge of the semi-cylindrical portion of the building. The otherend of the cable extends over a pulley suspended from the top of theother pole, support, or other stationary structure at a heightapproximately equivalent to the height of the air structure of myinvention. The free end of the last mentioned cable is anchored to thedrum of a suitable winch. Such winch may be a gasoline engine driven oran electrically driven device or the winch may be manually operated forpurposes of raising the building structure. As explained more fully inmy aforesaid copending application the building structure is formed fromair-tight material which is thin flexible cloth or fabric impervious toair and moisture. The base of the building structure is provided with ananchoring seal so that a substantially air tight connection between thebuilding structure and the supporting surface is assured. A continuouslyoperating electrically driven air blower is connected to the sidewall ofthe air structure for delivering a constant stream of air beneath theair structure to effect inflation thereof. The fact that the airstructure of my invention is raised by the cable system hereinbeforeexplained removes the load from the air blower so that the air blowerfunctions simply to deliver an inflating atmosphere within the buildingstructure and is not required to pump the principal mass 3 f thebuilding to the elevated position. Thus the time eriod for erecting thebuilding is considerablyreduced nd maintenance of the inflated structureis considerably mplified in that the load on the blower -is reducedthrough 1e cable suspension of the building. In the case of tilure ofthe blower the building remains erect even tough the side walls may besubject to sagging. Neverieless, upon rel-starting of the blower normalinflation of l6 building may be quickly re-est-ablished.

In another form of my invent-ion a suspension cable directly fastened tothe seam at the ridge of the air ructure and extends at each end beyondthe semi-spherill end sections for attachment to supporting poles or .elike erected adjacent opposite ends of the air structure. Referring tothe drawings in more'detail, reference iaracter 1 designates the centralsubstantially semilindr-iCal portion of the building structure of myinvenm formed by interconnected sections of airtight fabric rminating ina longitudinally extending locked seam 2 the ridge thereof over whichthere is stitched a cable in or tunnel 3 formed of a similar fabric.Various nds of airtight materials may be employed for the wall ructureof the building of my invention such as vinylated nylon fabric of greatstrength that withstands both vtreme warm and cold temperatures, or alaminated bric in lieu of the coated fabric may be used. The matei1 iswater-proof and airtight and has a life expectancy all beyond therequirements of a temporary structure rich is the field of applicationto which my invention is rected. The semi-cylindrical section 1 of thebuilding forms intermediate portion of the building structure betweenposite end portions shown at 4 and 5 that have contours llCl'l aresubstantially semi-spherical quadrants and are nnected through airtightseams with opposite ends of semi-cylindrical portions of the buildingare formed )rn strips of the airtight fabric stitched together and'minating in the semi-circular gores 6 and 7 located at posite ends ofthe double stitched seam at the longilinally extending ridge of thesemi-cylindrical portion of the building. The building sections 1, 4,and 5 'minate in the ballast tube 8 which forms the weighted chor forthe building structure and the seal with respect thesupporting surface 9as more fully explained in my n'esaid co-pending application. inerecting the improved structure of my invention I ct a location which isadjacent a stationary support in locations which are clear of availablestationary sports I erect a pole such as 10 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 thesupporting surface 9. This pole 19 or other stanary supporting structurehas a cable 11 connected :reto at a height which is comparable to theheight of completed inflated building structure. This height .y be, forexample, thirty feet. The cable 11 is ended through the cable run ortunnel T3 constituted by :trip having a width slightly less than thediametrioal "tion of the gores 6 and 7 and stitched to the material ifthe semi-cylindrical quadrantazl portion of the buildstructure and isextended over a pulley 14 located on nppoxt 15 erected in spacedrelation to the support 10 iending upon the longitudinally disposed axisof the lding and the effective length thereof. For example, air inflatedbuilding structure of my invention may to a length of the order of 80feet to 129 feet in which ant the support 15 is located in spacedrelation to supt 10 along surface 9 to permit ample room for the reducesthe load on the blower 19 so that blower 19 iseffective to inflate theinterior of the building structure more rapidly than it is underconditions where the blower must also function to develop the necessarypressure head for raising the building structure.

I have heretofore alluded to the fact that under conditions of emergencyone individual is capable of erecting and maintaining the buildingstructure without assistance. This presupposes that supports 10 and 15have been located in the required spaced positions and that the ballasttube 8 is arranged in proper position on the sur face 9 between thesupports 10 and 15; The ballast tube 8 must be laid out-in such aposition that there is ample space between the supports 10 and 15 forthe installation of the access door or air lock in the building. Theflexible cable 11 is then drawn taut by winding the cable on drum 16 sothat the building is raised from'the position shown in Fig. 1 to theposition illustrated in Fig. 2. Concurrently with the mechanical raisingoperation depicted in Figs. 1 and 2 a pneumatic raising operation iseffected by driving the electrically motor driven fan blower 19 whichsimultaneously inflates the interior of the air structure throughblowertube 18 as it is physically raised. The inflated building structuresuspended on cable 11 is shown in erect position in Fig. 2. In thiscondition the inflated building structure is maintained in inflatederect position by the continuous operation of the fan blower 19.inasmuch as the mass of the building structure remains suspended fromthe cable 11 the work load on the blower 19 is considerably reducedenabling the inflation of the building to be maintained moreeffectively.

In Figs. 7-10 I have shown a modified form of my invention in which aflexible wire cable 20 is fastened to the locked seam 2 at the ridge ofthe cylindrical portion of the air structure by sewing the cable to theridge by tallation of the building and accessories incident there-.

such as an air lock or access door all explained in my resaid co-pendingapplication and yet provide aquate space for entry into and out of thebuilding bout obstruction by the location of either support It) 15 inrelation to the end wall of the building. The 3 end of the cable 1 1after passing over pulley 14 is lnected to the drum 16 of the winch 17.Winch 17 y be manually operated to draw the cable 11 taut or stitches21. An extension is provided at each end of the cable, one end of whichpasses through'pulley of eyelet 22 on support 10 and the other end ofwhich passes through pulley on eyelet 23 secured to support 15 atheights comparable to the height to which the air structure is to beultimately raised. Thus the air structure may be stretched into anelevated position by pulling on the extended ends of cable 20 andfastening the ends of cable 20 in the cleats 24 and 25 as shown in Fig.7 at the same time that blower fan 19 is driven to force air beneath thebuilding structure for inflating the structure while the major loadthereof is supported by cable 20 stretched taut between supports 10 and15. Dismantling 'of the building is very simply accomplished by stoppingthe blower l9, disconnecting the blower tube 18 and disconnecting theends of cable 20 from supports 10' and 15 whereupon the buildingstructure may be readily packed and transported to another location forsubsequent erection,

While I have described my invention in certain of its preferredembodiments I realize that modifications may be made and I desire thatit be understood that no limitations upon my invention are intendedother than may be imposed by the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters 3 Patent .of theUnited States is as follows:

stituted by quadmntally disposed transversely arranged flexible stripslock-stitched end-to-end in a seam located at the longitudinallyextending central ridge of the envelope, a pair of semi-circular goreseach having a diametrical portion and a semi-circular peripheralportion, said envelope being connected at the opposite ends of the topportion thereof with the diametrical portions of said semi-circulargores longitudinally aligned with the central ridge of the envelope, asemi-spherical circular end portion at each end of the buildingstructure connected with the semi-circular peripheral portions of saidgores and on opposite sides of the diametrical portions of said goreswith the ends of said semi-cylindrical envelope, a longitudinallyextending supporting cable disposed above the lock-seam of the stripsconstituting said semi-cylindrical envelope and extending above andbeyond said gores,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS858,875 Knabenshue July 2, 1907 1,302,182 Lanchester Apr. 29, 19191,342,234 Smith June 1, 19-20

